Tire-tightener.



PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

.T. J. MANN.

TIRE TIGHTENBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1904.

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Witnesse Inventor a x. I

Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT THOMAS J. MANN, OF OKETO, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-H ALF TO FRANKL. ROOT, OF OKETO, KANSAS.

TIRE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 793,531, dated June 27,1905.

Application filed July 19,1904. Serial No. 217,243. i

To a, whom, 11/; nan/y concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. MANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oketo, in the county of Marshall and State of Kansas, haveinvented a new and useful Tire-Tightener, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices employed for tightening the tires uponvehicle-wheels without removing the same from the fellies, and has forits object to simplify and improve the construction and produce a deviceof this character which may be inexpensively manufactured, will beeflicient in action, and easily applied and operated.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the inventioncapable of carrying the same into practical operation, it beingunderstood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, asvarious changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of theparts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of thedevice applied. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig.3 is a viewsimilar to the lower portion of Fig. 1, illustrating one manner ofemploying the device. Fig. t is a perspective view of one of'thefilling-washers detached.

The improved implement comprises a U- shaped member for insertionbetween a pair of the spokes 11 of a wheel. The oppositelydisposed legsof the U-shaped member are forked, as at 12 13, for engagement with thehub 14 upon opposite sides of the spokes, the forked portions thusenabling the member to automatically adapt itself to different-sizedhubs and be held steadily, as will be obvious. The juncture of the legportion of the member 10 is provided with a threaded aperture in which astraining-screw rod 15 operates, the free end of the rod being providedwith a square or other similar-formed wrench-head 16, and having abearing-stud 17 arranged in advance of said wrench-head.

Pivoted upon the stud portion 17 isa forked base member 18, havingtransversely-disposed apertures 19 20 in its free ends, and adjustablypivoted, as by bolts 21 22, in these apertures are toggle levers orlinks 23 24:, the latter embracing the perforated ends of the member 18from opposite sides, as shown. The free ends of the member 18 arereduced transversely to receive the ends of the togglelevers 23 24:, sothat the total width of the latter will not exceed the width of themember 18. Bearing-plates 27 28 are pivoted, as indicated at 26, to thelower ends of the spreader-links for engagement with the folly adjacentto the spokes 11, said bearing-plates being provided with terminalvertically-disposed lips 30 31, adapted to bear against the spokes, andalso provided with spaced longitudinal ribs for engagement with theedges of the felly, so as to prevent lateral displacement of saidplates.

The device will preferably be located between the pair of spokes at thejoint 32 in the felly, and when the plates 27 28 are placed in positionupon the felly in engagement with the adjacent spokes and the member 10adjusted against the hub and the screw 15 retated by a wrench applied tothe nut portion 16 it will be obvious that a very powerful spreadingstrain will be exerted upon the two parts of the felly, which willfirmly tighten the same within the tire 33. A suitable filling or wedge34 will then be inserted between the distended ends of the felly to holdthe same in place and retain it in its tightened condition. Any suitablefilling means may be employed, but preferably a malleable Wedgeblockwill be used for this purpose, which when driven into the gap betweenthe ends of the fellies will clench. upon the inner face of the tire andeffectually lock it in place.

The device may be of any desired size and of any suitable material andadapted for any size of vehicle, and two or more lengths of thestraining-screws may be supplied to each pair of the members 10 and 18,and thus provide for the use upon all sizes of wheels.

Under some circumstances it may be desirable to distend the telly bodilyintermediately ot' the joints, and when this is done the felly will bepartially detached from the spoketenon by the action of the screw 15, asin Fig. 3, and a washer or ferrule, as at 35, placed around the exposedportion of the tenon between the body of the spoke and the telly to holdthe same in its tightened position after the release of the screw 15.

By providing the member 18 with a plurality of the apertures 19 20 andfurnishing I claim is A tire-tightener comprising a U shaped memberhaving its opposite legs provided with forked terminals adapted to spanthe plane of the spokes, said terminals being curved laterally forengagement with the wheel-hub at opposite sides of the spokes thereof,there being a threaded aperture disposed at the juncture of said legs,athreaded rod engaging said aperture and playing therethrough in a planebetween the arms of the terminal forks, a bifurcated head mounted on thefree end of the threaded rod and having a plurality of spacedtransversely-disposed openings formed therein, detachable toggle-leverspivoted in said apertures, bearing-plates pivoted to the free ends ofthe toggle-levers andv having spaced longitudinal ribs adapted to engagethe wheelfelly, said plates being provided with terminalvertically-disposed lips for engagement with the adjacent spokes, and aclamping-nut engaging the threads of the rod at each end of the latterand adapted to bear against the base of the U-shaped member and headrespeetively, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. MANN. Witnesses:

FRANK L. RooT, HENRY G. WVA'rnRs, Jr.

